Fallable type pole supporting device

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a fallable type pole supporting device comprising a wire extending in a longitudinal direction of a pole extended to a mounting side end of a pole member. A resilient member is disposed between an extreme end of the wire and a mounting side end of the pole member. The pole member and the longitudinal direction of the wire are maintained in a straight line by a resilient force in an axial direction of the resilient member. A lower mounting end of the pole member is tiltably maintained and the pole member is made engageable with a base body through said wire.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a fallable type pole supporting devicesuitable for mounting a fallable pole having a position confirming flagon an upper end thereof, such as used when traveling forests, wasteland,etc. in an off-road vehicle, or for mounting a pole-like member such asan antenna.

2. Description of Relevant Art

A confirming flag for a vehicle, in which a pole having a flag at anupper portion thereof is mounted at its lower portion on a vehicle body,has been heretofore known.

As disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open PublicationNo. 52-7600, a known confirming flag of this kind comprises a pole, apiece of flag-cloth attached to an upper portion of the pole, andfittings for the vehicle body mounted to a lower portion of the pole.

In the aforesaid publication, in the event the pole engages an obstacle,a shock is absorbed by elastic deformation of the pole, and therefore, agreat force acts on the fittings at the lower portion of the pole. Thus,it was necessary to provide a sufficient rigidity of the mountingfittings to withstand such great force. In this regard, however, therewas an inconvenience that when the pole is once disengaged from themounting fittings, a connecting state relative to the vehicle bodydisappears, and as a result, the pole will be lose during traveling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished in order to solve theaforesaid problems.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fallable type polesupporting device for a vehicle which can be elastically deformedwithout exerting a great force on a mounting portion of the vehicle bodyeven if a pole supported by the device engages an obstacle duringtraveling.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device whichprevents the pole from becoming fully disengaged from the vehicle body.

For achieving the aforesaid objects, the device of the present inventionis characterized in that a wire extending in a longitudinal direction ofa pole is fixed to a mounting side end of a pole member, a resilientmember is disposed between an extreme end of said wire and said mountingside end of the pole member, said pole member and the longitudinaldirection of the wire are normally maintained in a straight line by aresilient force in an axial direction of said resilient member, themounting side end of said pole member is tiltably supported by theresilient member, and said pole member is secured to a base body throughsaid wire.

With the arrangement as described above, when the pole as mounted on anoff road vehicle engages an obstacle, the pole is flexed and tilted. Inthis state, the longitudinal direction of the wire is deviated from thelongitudinal direction of the pole member. Therefore, in order to absorbsuch deviation and restore it to a straight line with the pole, the wireis pulled back by the resilient force in an axial direction of theresilient member, and the pole member is again stood upright from itstilted state.

Moreover, since the pole member is secured to the vehicle body by thewire, even if the pole member is significantly tilted, such as in avehicle rollover, the pole member will not be disengaged from thevehicle body.

Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present inventionwill be understood from the following detailed description which, whentaken into conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses preferredembodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing one preferred embodiment of afallable pole supporting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a state wherethe pole of FIG. 1 is tilted.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a further preferred embodiment of afallable type pole supporting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a fallable type pole supportingdevice according to FIGS. 1 or 3 mounted on a buggy type off roadvehicle.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are respective explanatory views showing another preferredembodiment of a fallable type pole supporting device according to thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail withreference to the drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the reference numerals designate thefollowing: 1 a fallable type flag pole; 2, 3 upper and lower springseats, respectively; 4 a return spring; 5 a mounting plate mounted onthe upper spring seat 2; 6 an annular pedestal provided on the mountingplate 5; 7 a tilting member tiltably provided on the pedestal 6; 8 aflexible pole provided on the tilting member 7; 9 a wire or cablemounted integrally with the pole 8; 10 a fixed element secured to oneend of the wire 9; 11 a washer; and 12 a rubber boot having one endadhered to the mounting plate 5 surrounding the tilting member 7.

Each of the upper and lower spring seats 2 and 3 is in the form of aplate. The lower spring seat 3 is provided in its central portion with ahole 3a into which the washer 11 is fitted, and the upper spring seat 2is provided in its central portion with a hole 2a through which the wire9 extends.

One end of the mounting plate 5 is mounted on a part of a frame of thevehicle, and the other end of the mounting plate 5 is formed with a hole5a through which the wire 9 also extends. The mounting plate is alsoformed with a plurality of small holes (one of which is shown at 5b) inwhich projections on the bottom surface of the pedestal 6 are fitted,and with a plurality of small recesses (one of which is shown at 5c) inwhich projections on the bottom surface of the rubber boot 12 arefitted.

The pedestal 6 is constructed in the form of a seat in which the uppersurface allows the tilting member 7 to be seated, while the plurality ofprojections on the bottom surface of the pedestal are fitted in andmounted to the plurality of the small holes 5b in the mounting plate 5.

The tilting member 7 has a convex portion 7a tiltably fitted in theupper surface of the pedestal 6, and a concave portion 7b whichcooperates with a convex portion 6a of the pedestal 6 for facilitatingtilting movement of a tilting member. Also, one end of the pole 8 andone end of the wire 9 mounted integrally with the pole 8 are provided inan opening defined along the center line of the tilting member 7. Thepole 8 is preferably formed of resin, but can be formed of metal orother appropriate materials. One end of the wire 9 is integrally moldedat the lower end of the pole 8, and a flag is detachably mounted on theupper end of the pole 8.

In assembling the fallable flag pole 1, the return spring 4 is providedbetween the upper and lower spring seats 2 and 3, the tilting member 7is placed on the pedestal 6, and the extreme end of the wire 9 isprojected downwardly out of the hole 3a of the lower spring seat 3. Inthis state, the washer 11 is passed through the extreme end of the wire,the spring 4 is compressed to an extent and the fixed element 10 isfixed to the extreme end of the wire.

As thus assembled, the pole 8 is maintained straight since the wire 9 isstrongly pulled by the resilient force of the return spring 4.

When the pole 8 engages an obstacle during traveling (with the mountingplate 5 mounted on the vehicle) the pole 8 is flexed and tilted as shownin FIG. 2, the upper surface of the pedestal 6 is pressed by the tiltingmember 7 which tilts with the pole 8, and the wire 9 is pulled therebyfurther compressing the spring 4. Therefore, a distance between theupper and lower spring seats 2 and 3 is narrowed against the resilientforce of the return spring 4. Then, when the pole passes out ofengagement with the obstacle, the wire 9 is pulled back by the resilientforce of the return spring 4, the convex portion 7a of the tiltingmember 7 is fitted back into the seating surface of the pedestal 6 andthe pole 8 is again stood upright.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment, in which reference numeral 31designates a fallable flag pole, and 4, 7, 8, 10 and 11 are elementssimilar to those of the first embodiment. Additional reference numeralsdesignate the following: 32 and 33 upper and lower springs seats,respectively; 34 a wire, 35 a rubber boot, 36 a stopper shaft welded tothe spring seat 32; 37 a flat washer, 38 a bolt, 39 fittings, 40 a bolt,and 41 a nut.

The upper spring seat 32 is provided with a hole 32a through which thewire 34 extends. An upper peripheral edge of spring seat 32 defining thehole 32a projects upwardly to define a seat surface 32b. The convexportion 7a of the tilting member 7 is fitted in the hole 32a and theseat surface 32b so that the former may be tiltably seated. One end ofan arm 32c formed integrally with the upper spring seat 32 is providedwith a mounting hole through which the bolt 40 passes. One end of thestopper shaft 36 is welded to the lower surface of the upper seat 32 inthe vicinity of the hole 32a, and the other end of the shaft 36 is boredwith a female thread 36a meshed with the bolt 38.

The lower spring seat 33 is in the form of a plate. The lower springseat 33 is provided in its central portion with a hole 33a into whichthe washer 11 is fitted and a hole 33b for guiding the stopper shaft 36is provided in the vicinity of the hole 33a.

In assembling the fallable type flag pole 31, the return spring 4 isprovided between the upper and lower spring seats 32 and 33, the tiltingmember 7 is provided on the upper spring seat 32, the spring 4 iscompressed to an extent, and the extreme end of the wire 34 is projectedout of the hole 33a of the lower spring seat 33. In this state, theextreme end of the wire 34 passes through the washer 11, and the fixedelement 10 is fixed to the wire and fitted in the guide hole 33a of thelower spring seat 33, and the bolt 38 is meshed with the threadedportion 36a through the flat washer 37.

As thus assembled, the pole 8 is maintained straight since the wire 34is strongly pulled by the resilient force of the return spring 4.

In the fallable flag pole 31 for the vehicle, one end of the arm 32cformed integrally with the upper spring seat 32 is mounted on one end ofthe fittings 39 by means of bolt 40 and nut 41, while an opposite end ofthe fittings is welded or otherwise fixed to the frame of the vehicle.When the pole 8 engages an obstacle during the travel of the vehicle,the pole 8 is flexed and tilted, the convex portion 7a of the tiltingmember 7 presses the seat surface 32b of the upper spring seat 32, thewire 34 is pulled, and the distance between the upper and lower springseats 32 and 33 is narrowed against the resilient force of the returnspring 4. At this time, the lower spring seat 33 is guided by thestopper shaft 36. After the pole 8 is out of engagement with theobstacle, the wire 34 is pulled back by the resilient force of thereturn spring 4, the convex portion 7a of the tilting member 7 is fittedinto the hole 32a of the upper spring seat 32, and the pole 8 is againstood upright.

In this embodiment, even if the wire 34 is broken or severed when thepole 8 is largely tilted, the lower spring seat 33 will be held by theplate washer 37 and bolt 38 provided on the stopper shaft 36.Accordingly, if the wire 34 is severed all components of the flag poleand supporting device will remain attached to the vehicle.

In the fallable flag pole, as shown in FIG. 4, one end of the arm 32c ofthe upper spring seat 32 (or of a mounting plate such as shown at 5 inFIG. 1) is mounted on the fittings 39 welded to the frame of thevehicle. During travel of the vehicle, the pole 8 is normally stoodupright by the supporting device, and when the vehicle is moved into agarage the pole 8 may be bent against the resiliency of the spring 4 andmaintained in such bent position by a mirror 41 or a catch deviceprovided for such purpose. As shown in FIG. 4, the pole supportingdevice is mounted on the off-road vehicle at a higher level than themirror or catch device, so that when the pole 8 is in the bent positionit extends downwardly toward the mirror.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are respectively explanatory views showing anotherembodiment of a fallable type pole supporting device according to thepresent invention. In the drawings, reference numeral 51 designates afallable type flag pole; 52 a tilting member provided on the pole 51; 53a pedestal; 54 a plate spring; 55 a connecting rod; 56, 56 stoppers forthe plate spring 54 secured to opposite ends of the connecting rod 55;57 a stopper on the reset side for the plate spring 54 secured onto theconnecting rod 55; and 58 mounting bed.

The plate spring 54 may be selectively invertedly formed into a concaveshape or a convex shape in its central portion by applying anappropriate load to opposite sides thereof. The plate spring issandwiched between the pedestal 53 and the mounting bed 58 at theperipheral edge thereof using the bolt and nut fasteners as shown, whilefittings 39 have one end secured to the mounting bed 58 by the samefasteners, and an unshown end of the fittings 39 would be secured to thevehicle.

The connecting rod 55 connects the tilting member 52 and the flat spring54 by the stoppers 56, 56.

In the state where the fallable flag pole 51 is stood upright, as shownin FIG. 5, the flat spring 54 is in the state where a concave portion isformed. The tilting member 52 is pulled downward by the connecting rod55 and which is in turn urged downwardly by a pulling force of thespring 54 so that the tilting member is securely fitted into the concaveportion of the pedestal 53 and the force of the spring prevents thetilting member from wobbling.

Where the pole 8 impinges upon an obstacle, the fallable flag pole 51and the tilting member 52 are pulled out of the concave portion of thepedestal 58 due to the principle of lever and pivots freely on thestopper 56 together with the pole 8, as shown in FIG. 6. At this time,the plate spring 54 is pulled upward by the connecting rod 55 andchanges from the state where a concave portion is formed to the statewhere a convex portion is formed.

It is contemplated that when a tilted pole 8 is automatically stoodupright again by the force of the return spring 4 as described above inrelation to FIGS. 1-4, the pole 8 may hit the vehicle frame. However,the fallable type flag pole 51 shown in the third embodiment does notautomatically return to an upright position, and can be suitably resetby a rider from the state shown in FIG. 6 to the state shown in FIG. 5by pushing the tilting member 52 down into the concave portion of thepedestal 53.

According to desirable aspects of the present invention, the presentlypreferred embodiments of which are described above, even if the polemember mounted on the vehicle engages an obstacle, the pole supportingdevice prevents a great force from acting on the mounting side of thevehicle body because the supporting device itself is elasticallydeformable, thereby minimizing stress of the pole and improvingdurability of the pole. Furthermore, since the pole member is fastenedto the vehicle body by the wire member or the connecting rod, the polemember is prevented from being lost.

The supporting device of the present invention is able to achieve theabove advantages not only with respect to the flag pole as describedabove, but also with respect to any rod member, such as an antenna.

Although there has been described what are at present considered to bethe preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will beunderstood that the invention can be embodied in other specific formswithout departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof.The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all aspectsas illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the invention isindicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description.

I claim:
 1. A supporting device for a pole, comprising:a mounting plateadapted to be horizontally mounted on an object, and having at least onehole defined therein; a pole; a tilting member integrally fixed to oneend of said pole; a pedestal supported on an upper surface of saidmounting plate, and said tilting member having a convex portion tiltablyfitted to an upper surface of said pedestal; a cable having one endthereof integrally molded within said one end of said pole and anopposite end extending through said hole in said mounting plate; meansfor biasing said cable against a lower surface of said mounting plate; aprotective boot fixed to the upper surface of said mounting plate andcovering at least said convex portion of said tilting member; saidbiasing means comprising a compressional spring mounted to the lowersurface of said mounting plate and pair of spring seats associated withopposite ends of said compressional spring, respectively; and auxiliarymeans for securing said spring to said mounting plate, said auxiliarysecuring means comprising a shaft fixed between at least one of saidspring seats and said mounting plate.
 2. A supporting device accordingto claim 1, wherein said mounting plate is adapted to be horizontallymounted on a frame of a vehicle.
 3. A pole supporting device accordingto claim 1, wherein said mounting plate is adapted to have one endthereof mounted on said object such that an opposite end of the mountingplate is projected away from the object and said pedestal is supportedon the upper surface of said opposite end of said mounting plate.
 4. Apole supporting device according to claim 1, wherein said mounting plateis formed integrally with one of said spring seats as a unitary member.5. A pole supporting device according to claim 1, wherein said mountingplate is formed integrally with said pedestal and one of said springseats as a unitary member.
 6. A pole supporting device according toclaim 1, wherein said protective boot encloses said pedestal and a lowerhalf portion of said tilting member.
 7. A supporting device according toclaim 1, wherein said stopper shaft is provided internally of saidspring in the vicinity of said hole defined in said mounting plate.
 8. Apole supporting device according to claim 1, wherein one of said springseats is fixed to the lower surface of said mounting plate, and saidshaft is fixed between the mounting plate and the other said springseat.